Nothing is more sublime than the taste of the first fresh corn of the season, steaming hot, slathered with butter, and lightly salted. Award-winning cookbook author Olwen Woodier explains how to best enjoy fresh corn, as well as how to freeze or preserve that farm-fresh taste so that corn lovers can add the nutritious goodness of corn and cornmeal to the menu all year long. Imagine steaming hot cornmeal porridge on a winter's morning, a savory bowl of corn chowder after that first day planting the garden, or a Cinco de Mayo fiesta complete with homemade tortillas. The texture, wholesome goodness, and flavor of corn make it a remarkably versatile grain, complementing everything from frittatas to Posole, souffles to Shepherd's Pie. In Corn, author Olwen Woodier celebrates this downhome, delicious, all-purpose comfort food through 140 easy-to-prepare recipes. There are Corn Starters: Tortilla Pizza, Blue Blazes Hush Puppies; Corn Soups: Tortilla Soup, Lobster and Corn Chowder; Corn Salads: Black Bean, Corn and Tomato Salad, Corn Pasta Salad with Roasted Garlic Dressing; Corn in the Main: Salmon with Corn Pancakes, Corn-Tortilla Crusted Fish, Corn and Cheese Tamales; and Corn Breads: Bacon-Scallion Muffins, Skillet Corn Bread. Woodier also includes a complete history of corn, a cook's primer on corn varieties, corn nutritional information, and special grower and chef profiles. Olwen Woodier is the author of six cookbooks, including The Pesto Cookbook and The Apple Cookbook. She has written about food for 35 years, including articles for the New York Times, Gourmet, Woman's Day, and Family Circle. She offers cooking classes at her home, Glenfiddich Farm, in Leesburg, Virginia. Potato-Herb Batter Bread When I'm not in a hurry, I make this in a 2 1/2-quart casserole dish for the effect of serving a large round loaf. Baked that way, it takes 1 hour in the oven. This bread slices nicely even when warm. 1 cup cornmeal 3/4 cup mashed potatoes (don't use leftover mashed potatoes containing milk or other liquid) 1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil 2 tablespoons honey 2 packages (2 tablespoons) active dry yeast 1 teaspoon dried basil 1 teaspoon dried oregano 2 cups warm water (100-115 F); use potato water, if desired 1 egg, beaten (optional) 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour Preheat the oven to 375ªF and grease two loaf pans. Place the cornmeal, potatoes, oil, honey, yeast, basil, and oregano in a large mixing bowl. Add the water and beat for 1 minute. Stir in the egg, if desired, and 1 1/2 cups of the flour. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or by hand for 4 minutes. 5. Beat in the remaining flour by hand for 2 minutes. If the batter feels stiff, add another tablespoon of oil. 6. Using a wet or oil-coated spoon, distribute the batter between the two loaf pans, cover them with a clean towel, set in a warm place, and let rise for 20 minutes. 7. Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Fully baked loaves will sound hollow when rapped with the knuckles. 8. Remove the bread from the pans and let the loaves cool on a wire rack. Yield: 2 loaves Baked Tomatoes With Corn Custard Kate Zurschmeide of Great Country Farms in Bluemont, Virginia (see page 160), says this is a versatile recipe that works equally well as a starter or a side dish. It also makes a good dish to serve for brunch or a light supper accompanied by salad greens and bread or muffins. cooking oil spray 6 firm medium-large tomatoes 1 tablespoon butter 2 tablespoons finely chopped onion 2 tablespoons finely diced red bell pepper 1 egg 1/4 cup light cream 2 cups cooked corn or canned corn, drained 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper 3-4 tablespoons grated Cheddar or Parmesan cheese 1. Preheat the oven to

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